A look back at 2022 at UA

UA has once again shown boldness and innovation this year, both in terms of campus life and research and sustainable development. Relive some of the highlights through this brief summary of events.

January

Making the "Campus du Végétal" a European reference site for training and research in horticulture and seeds

The University of Angers signed a five-year partnership agreement on 12 January with the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE). The objective of the agreement is to support the development of research and training to meet the environmental challenges of tomorrow.

The scientific focus of the agreement are plant immunity and the management of the microbiota, and the objectives are numerous: to understand plant immunity in all its complexity and to reduce sanitary vulnerability, to promote plant health through beneficial interactions (microbiota, symbiosis), to analyse adaptation to climatic, nutrient and biotic stresses in agroecological systems, etc. In this sense, a Graduate School was created in September in order to train high-level scientists who will know how to deal with the current context in plant production, such as the reduction of chemical inputs, for example.

February

A scholarship of excellence for Rima, a Lebanese doctoral student

Awarded by Campus France, Eiffel scholarships are highly selective and allow the funding of a year's thesis for foreign students. Good news for Rima, who lost her scholarship in Lebanon two years earlier due to the economic situation and after the explosions at the port of Beirut on 4 August 2020.

> Read the full article

March

Gender Equality Month

The Gender Equality Month was originally launched at the University of Angers in 2017 by the research programme "GEnre et Discriminations sexistes et homophobes" (Gender and Homophobic Discrimination). Now led by the University of Angers and its "Mission Égalité", the Gender Equality Month offers a rich programme of discussions and dialogue between the general public, scientists and artists.

Nightline, a helpline and listening service, launched in Angers

The student association Nightline opened its sixth night-time helpline and listening service in Angers on 19 March. The first one to do so in Western France. This discussion space, supported by UA among others, is accessible to the 140,000 students of the region. In parallel, the University Health Service is developing a whole series of workshops around well-being and mental health.

April

Sports challenge for UAs 50th anniversary

From Tuesday 26 to Thursday 28 April, students, staff and partner companies of UA were invited to take part in the sports challenge: 50 hours of non-stop physical and sports activities. It was a great opportunity for the entire university communiy to learn new sports practices and to participate in a number of innovative challenges.

May

A look back at Denis Mukwege's visit

Denis Mukwege, Nobel Peace Prize winner, former student at the University of Angers' Faculty of Health, who trained as a gynaecologist at the Angers University Hospital, visited Angers on May 9 and 10 for Europe Day. On the programme for these two days: two conferences, a film debate and the opening of an exhibition of previously unpublished photographs taken by the photographer Christophe Smets in Kiwu.

> Read the full article

UA at NAFSA Conference & Expo in Denver

Two UA representatives attended the NAFSA 2022 Annual Conference & Expo in Denver, Colorado, as part of the Campus France delegation. This is the biggest event in international education and a great opportunity to meet with partners and promote UA to other higher education institutions worldwide.

Find out more

June

Ukraine : Free intensive French courses

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the University of Angers has been taking action for researchers and students dispaced by the war. In March, the institutions of Angers Loire campus jointly decided to set up French courses. The University's French Language Centre for Foreigners (Celfe) also offered free intensive French language courses for these students. Furthermore, a special fast-track application procedure has allowed our schools and institutes to review applications outside of the usual application period, thus enabling some of these students to join a course as early as September.  Read the article

July

Solar Cup at the University Institute of Technology (IUT)

The first edition of the Angers Solar Challenge took place just before Summer. Organised by the IUT Angers-Cholet, students from the Mechanical and Production Engineering department were challenged to design and build a solar-powered vehicle to travel 100 kilometres in four hours.

> See the Youtube video (in French)

> Also: IUT is once again ranked best success rates at the bachelor's degree level in France.

August

EU-Green focuses on sustainable development

After joining the Eu-Green consortium of European universities in February 2021, it was during the summer holidays that the European Union validated the project to the amount of 14 million euros.  Now we have to roll up our sleeves to make this beautiful project come to fruition in cooperation with the other eight partners. This represents a great opportunity for exchange and mobility for the students and teachers/researchers of the UA.

September

UA at the EAIE Conference in Barcelona

UA attended the EAIE Conference in Barcelona from 13th to 16th September. The event gathers higher education professionals committed to internationalising their institutions. It is always a great opportunity for us to strengthen our ties with existing partners, implement new projects and discuss international education.

Find out more

October

"Règle on ça" wins award for menstrual pad dispensers

Committed to the fight against inequality caused by the menstrual cycle and the cost that it imposes on women, the association "Règle on ça" won the Coup de cœur prize for their innovational menstrual pad dispensers. These dispensers are now placed in different strategical places on the UA campuses and allow students to get free menstrual pads.

UA received 11 Fullbright higher education institutions

As part of the Fulbright International Academic Mobility Programme of the United States, the University of Angers welcomed eleven American higher education institutions on Wednesday 12 October. This was an opportunity to present UA and to initiate new partnerships in an original format: speed dating.

November

Giving Week

For the global #GivingTuesday movement , the University of Angers chose to host an entire Giving Week this year! Throughout the week, students and staff could take part in various charitable events, such as the Giving Christmas event,
collecting and distributing anonymous Christmas gifts called "small boxes of happiness" for students with financial difficulties, an on-campus blood drive, collecting and distributing food, clothing and everyday student essentials for students with financial difficulties, collecting blankets for the city's homeless community, a CleanWalk and a charity run.

December

New convention signed between the University School of Management (IAE) and Mauritius

Within the framework of the IAE Angers five-year contract 2022-2028, a convention with the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) Business School on the delocalisation of two IAE diplomas was signed this year-end. Two teachers went there to pass on skills to local students and thus contribute to the development of the postgraduate course offer.

Noël Partagé

Once again, UA staff received international students for their Christmas celebrations. This initiative was originally launched in 2019 at UA with the purpose of developing cultural awareness on the campus. It allows international students who cannot return home for the holidays to experience local holiday traditions. On the flip side, it also allows for staff members to learn about the different foreign cultures present at the university. As always, the feedback from the participants has been very positive.